12 Congress MLAs collectively decided to merge into TRS: Rega Kantha Rao

The 12 MLAs, who defected from Congress party, have collectively decided to merge into the TRS party, said Rega Kantha Rao, one of the lawmakers.

"We have collectively decided to merge into the TRS party. Though there are many reasons behind this, the main reason is lack of Congress leadership and group politics in Congress party. This made us take this collective decision and plead the Speaker desk after meeting Chief Minister Rao and requested him to identify us as TRS MLAs," he said.

"Even though the Speaker approved (our request), till now we have not joined the TRS party. And now they (Congress party) are blaming that TRS has purchased us. Now if Congress will continue to do the same, we will file a defamation suit against Congress party leaders in High Court and we are also ready to approach Supreme Court if needed," Kantha Rao asserted.

Gandra Venkata Ramana Reddy, another defector MLA, said, "We are ready to resign from our post from the Congress party... Congress does not have credibility. Before blaming us, I would ask the Congress party leaders to check themselves. And we also think that we have merged into TRS party as per Constitution."

The MLAs remarks came after the Telangana High Court issued notice to the 12 MLAs who defected from Congress, Assembly Speaker, Council Chairman, besides the Legislature Secretary and the Election Commission.

A division bench adjourned the hearing by four weeks and sought their reply by then.

On June 6, 12 out of 18 MLAs of Congress had met the Telangana Assembly Speaker to join Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao's party.

The Congress unit of Telangana had launched a 36-hour hunger strike on Saturday in protest against the crossover of the 12 legislators to TRS.

( With inputs from ANI )